Blueberry Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Frizzled Shallots and Bleu Cheese

This is a great recipe that puts a different spin on pork tenderloin. The pork is coated in a spice rub, then seared to seal in the juices. It is then cooked with something unexpected…a mixture of blueberry pie filling with a touch of balsamic vinegar and lime to cut the sweetness just a bit. Once fully cooked, the tenderloin is sliced into serving pieces, topped with the blueberry sauce, a touch of crunch from frizzled shallots, and a bit of tang from bleu cheese crumbles. A delicious new way to serve your pork!

Blueberry Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Frizzled Shallots and Bleu Cheese

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 1-pound pork tenderloins
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 21-ounce can premium blueberry pie filling
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup thinly sliced shallots
Vegetable oil for frying
½ cup water
3 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Pat tenderloins with paper towel to remove excess liquid; season tenderloins with seasoning blend, being sure to cover entire surface of tenderloins, rubbing the seasoning into the meat.
In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add in the seasoned tenderloins and brown on all sides, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove tenderloins to large plate; set aside. Lower heat to low and to the skillet, add in the blueberry pie filling, vinegar, thyme, lime zest and lime juice, mix to combine. Place the tenderloins back into skillet, spoon blueberry mixture over the tenderloins. Place skillet into preheated oven and cook until tenderloins reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven, tent with foil, allow to rest 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the flour, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper into a small bowl. Add in the sliced shallots and toss to coat; remove shallots from bowl, shaking off excess flour; set shallots aside.
Place a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add in enough vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of the skillet, heat. Add in a small handful of the shallots, just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet in a single layer. Cook, tossing often, until golden brown. Watch carefully as once they begin to brown they can burn quickly. Remove from oil to drain, continue cooking shallots in this same manner, adding more vegetable oil if needed, and cooking the shallots in 2 - 3 small batches.
Remove tenderloins to a large platter and slice into ½-inch slices. Place the skillet with the blueberry mixture over medium heat. Add in the water, mix to combine and heat through, approximately 30 seconds.
To serve: Stagger 3 - 4 slices of pork onto serving plate, top with the blueberry sauce, then frizzled shallots, and bleu cheese crumbles.